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HISTORY OF GOREE
Yet the Island of Gorée's history is definitely less idyllic .
It was discovered in 1444 by Portuguese sailors under the orders of Denis Dias ; the island was named "Palma" but it was also referred to as "Beseguiche" and the locals called it "Ber" or "Bir".
The Dutch navy seized it in 1588 ; the island was then re-named "Goede Reede" (Good Harbour) hence its present name "Goree".

On November 1st 1677, vice admiral d'Estrées took hold
of it on behalf of the king of France.

In 1785, the Chevalier de Boufflers, Governor of Senegal, who wasn't that fond of Saint-Louis moved his residence to Goree.
The island was then occupied by the English before it was restored to France in 1817.

The island offered sailors many an advantage : safe moorage, close to a continent that offered great opportunities of commerce and facilities for the defence of the territory, such reasons caused European nations to fight over their possessing it.

Goree's prosperity was due to commerce, mainly slave-trade, which was the very basis of the setting up of the American colonies' economies.

Thus Gorée was one of those places of transit where captives were gathered, locked up, then taken on board and shipped over the ocean.

The abolishment of slavery in 1848 doomed the prospects
the island dreamed of.
La Maison des Esclaves

Jardin Botanique

Dakar was founded in 1857 and the whole activity moved there rapidly.
The population of the island dwindled from 5,000 inhabitants in 1832 to 600 in 1931. The island was annexed to Dakar in 1927.

Thanks to its curator's efficient guidance, Joseph N'Diaye, the visitor will discover "La Maison des Esclaves" (fee : 200 CFA - closed on Mondays ).
This house was once owned by signare Anne Pépin's brother, (Anne Pépin was Chevalier de Boufflers's mistress) .

Gravure de Gorée - XVIIIème siècle
La Falaise